Combined lightning-arrester and binding-posts.



No. 70l,|22. Patented'May 27, I902.

E. E. YAXLEY. COMBINED LIGHTNING ARRESTED AND BINDING POST.

(Application flXed Mar. 13, 1901.)

(No Model.)

ads 94 51 m' UNrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST E. YAXLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ELEC- TRICTELEPHONE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED LlGHTNlNG-ARRESTER AND BlNDlNG-POSTS SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 701,122, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed March 13,1901.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNESTE. YAXLEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improveinentin a Combined Lightning-Arreste rand Binding-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a form of lightning- I0 arrester adapted moreparticularly for use in connection with and for the purpose ofprotecting the various devices and instruments involved in a subscriberstelephone set.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide asimple,efficient, and comparatively inexpensive lightning-arrester of theforegoing character.

A special object is to provide an'arrester which may be also employedfor making the usual connection between the telephone set andline-wires, so as to obviate the necessity of employing two separate anddistinct de vices.

Another object is to provide a construction. and relative arrangementwhich will adord ready and convenient access to the difierent parts, soas to facilitate cleaning and repair and so as to also facilitate themaking of any necessary adj ustmentsas, for example, in grounding eitherside of the line or in shortcircuiting the subscribers set during asevere electrical storm.

The nature and advantages of my invention will, however, hereinaftermore fully appear.

Reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a plan View of myimproved lightning-arrester shown mounted upon abase. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic viewillustrating the connections of the line and lightning-arrester to itsearth connection. Fig. 4: is a view showing the lightning-arrester inposition upon the 5 apparatus of a subscribers telephone set.

I have shown the lightning-arrester A as it is designed to be attachedto the front of a subscribers telephone set,this apparatus consisting,as shown, of a base C and bindingposts mounted thereon, thebinding-posts G C receiving the line-wire D and the bindingpost E beingconnected to the earth or ground Serial No. 50,968. (No model.)

at E Each binding-post has a collar J, providing a central openingthrough it, and a carhon-pencil section or elongated circular-block Jheld to the binding-post by extending through said collar and by theset-screwj. These carbon-pencil sections I when mounted and held rigidlyupon the binding-postsin the manner described are positioned end to end,the inner end surface of the line binding-post carbon sections being inclose proximity to the ends of the section of carbon held in the groundbinding-post. Thus the discharging-surfaces of the carbon sections arein close proximity to one another, separated only by a small air-spacebetween them. In the normal operation of a telephone apparatus thecurrents on the line-wire pass from the incoming binding-post C throughthe instrument to the outgoing binding-post C as the air-spaces betweenthe carbon sections present a relatively higher resistance than theresistance of the instrument itself.

When, I however, a disruptive lightning discharge of anextremely highpotential encroaches upon the line, it tends to seek the nearest ground,and therefore passes from the line and bind ingpost into one of thecarbon sections and disrnptively discharges from the line carbon sectionto the carbon section held in the ground binding-post and from thence tothe ground or earth. When metal is employed,

the tendency of the repeated disruptive discharges is to form papillaebetween the pre- .sented metal ends of the arrester, and thus establisha permanent path between the secmeans of paper or any othersubstanceinserted between the carbon ends. Further, it often becomesnecessary during thecontinuance of I00 a severe electrical storm toestablisha permanent short-circuiting path to earth between the twobinding-posts of the instrument, thus short-circuiting the instrumentand taking it plished in my apparatus by loosening the setscrew jot thebinding-post connected with the line to be grounded and then bringingthe carbon section of that binding-post firmly into contact with theintermediate carbon section held by the ground binding-post and then setup the set-screw to maintain such intimate contact. It will be seen thateach binding-post is, with the exception of the socket for the carbon,substantially of the usual form and provided at its top or outer endwith a set-screw Z for holding a wire in the relatively small transverseopening 2. The base of each binding-post is preferably adapted'to besecured to the common base 0 in any suitable'or well-known manner. Inthis way each binding-post is provided at a point between its ends witha relatively large socket or transverse opening for a carbon and alsowith the set-screwy" for holding the carbon in place. In this way thefastening devices for securing the Wires in place are locatedimmediately above or outside of the carbon-sockets. With thisarrangement and construction the wires are easily and convenientlysecured in place to the tops of the binding-posts, and, as stated, thecarbons are in position to be easily adjusted and cleaned. It is evidentthat in my apparatus these adjustments for the purpose ofshort-circuiting the instrument or connecting either line-wire to groundthrough the lightning-arrester may be accomplished with facility andconvenience, and it is also apparent that when it is desired to restorethe apparatus to the normal conditions proper adjustments between thesections of carbon may be obtained accurately and conveniently. Thelightningarresteras so constructed also presents a compact andsubstantial piece of self-contained apparatus.

If arranged close together, as shown, the middle carbon can be removedby sliding it out through one of the outside posts. In this Way thethree carbons may be readily -removed without detaching the posts.Practically the carbons are capable of, unlimited adjustment in eitherdirection. With this construction and relative arrangement the carbonsare, as stated, easily accessible and readily adjustable to suit therequirements. Furthermore, the device is adapted to serve both as alightning-arrester and as a bindingpost arrangement for making the usualconnection between the telephone set and linewires. In this -way theinvention obviates the necessity of employing two separate devices forthese different purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A lightning-arrester comprising three combined carbon-holders andbinding-posts, each post having a transverse opening, three carbons heldend to end in said openings and arranged in line, the head of each postbeing provided with a screw-threaded member for securing a wire inplace.

2. A lightning-arrester comprising a plurality of combinedcarbon-holders and binding-posts, each post being formed with a base anda head and also with an enlarged middle or intermediate portion having atransverse opening, adjustable carbons held end to end in said openingsand arranged in line, the head of each post being provided with ascrewthreaded member for securing a wire in place.

3 The combination of three metal posts having their bases secured to asupport and arranged close together in a row, a cylin-dric piece ofcarbon extending transversely through the middle portion of each post,the three carbons thus arranged end to end in a line being capable ofunlimited endwise adjustment in either direction, and screwthreadedmembers mounted upon the heads of said posts and adapted for securingwires in place.

4. A lightning-arrester comprising three metal posts having their basessecured to a support and arranged close together in a row, each postbeing provided with a transverse opening, three carbons held end to endin said openingsand arranged in line, said carbons being capable ofunlimited endwise ad'- just-ment in either direction, screws holding thecarbons in place, a screw-threaded memher for connecting the middle postwith a grounded conductor, and screw threaded members for connecting theoutside posts with the circuit-conductors.

5. A lightniug-arrester for use in connection with a subscriberstelephone set, consisting of three binding-posts having their basessecured to asuitable support, each bind ing-post being provided with atransverselyextending socket or opening," the said binding-posts beingarranged in a row with their said openings or sockets in line, cylindricpieces of carbon mounted in said sockets or openings and held end toend, set-screws for holding the carbons inplace, the free end of eachbinding-post being provided with a relatively small transverse openingadapted to receive a wire, and also with a longitudinallyextendingset-screw for holding a Wire in said relatively small opening.

Signed by me at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 11th day of March,1901.

ERNEST E. YAXLEY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C. BULKLEY, HARRY P. BAUMGARTNER.

